Virtual reality is going to be one of the hottest topics at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, CA. In fact, VR will have a 77 percent larger footprint at CES this year than it did in 2015.
With the HTC Vive Development Kit 2‘s (VK2) big reveal of what HTC is hailing as a “very, very big technological breakthrough” and Oculus hinting at potentially opening up preorders, there is a lot to be excited about headed into the show.
In addition to everything that is going to be happening on the show floor, the conference halls will be busy with VR as well, with a large number of dedicated sessions to the emerging medium. With so much VR going on, it might get a little overwhelming – that’s why we’ve put together this handy guide to help you attend all the VR sessions you could want at CES.
Wednesday, January 6th
VR/AR Think Tank: The Next Generation
9 AM – 10 AM
LVCC, North Hall, Room N262
From the cover of Time to breakout star of CES, VR/AR have arrived and are transforming everything from entertainment and advertising to gaming and education. VR/AR are technologies that come along once a generation and capture the imagination of the world.
Moderator:
Robert Nashak, COO, Survios
Panelists:
Cliff Plumer, President, Jaunt Studios
Michael Kintner, CEO, 360Heros
Aaron Luber, Head of Content Partnerships, Google Cardboard
Myles McGovern, President, IM360
Steve Schklair, Founding Principal and CEO, 3ality & 3mersiv
Jez Jowett, Global Head of Creative Technology, Havas Media
Five Practical Uses of Virtual Reality
9 AM – 10 AM
LVCC, North Hall, Room N253
VR might seem inextricably linked to gaming, but the technology actually has many practical applications including education, healthcare, sports, retail and entertainment. Learn about real-world examples of how and where VR is being used to make a difference.
Speaker:
Jason Jerald, Co-Founder and Principal Consultant, NextGen
The Future of Work
10:15 AM – 11:15 AM
ARIA, Level 1, Pinyon 6
The drive to innovate is extending into all parts of our lives. However, with the exception of casual Fridays, work largely looks the same now as it did 25 years ago. Explore how new processes and structures are joining up with new technologies to shift work culture.
Speakers:
Zach James, Co-Founder and Co-CEO, ZEFR
Cecily Mak, General Counsel and Interim Chief Revenue Officer, Flipboard
Jacki Kelley, COO, Bloomberg Media, Bloomberg*
Nick Denton, Founder, Gawker Media
*Bloomberg recently showed off a version of its suite of tools in VR and with VR and AR looking to shape the future of productivity, this panel could prove to be very interesting.
The Immersive World of Kids and Games
10:15 AM – 11:15 AM
LVCC, North Hall, Room N264
Technology and kids are the perfect fit. From amazing apps and toys to education and games kids are living in a world of immersive technology. From tablets to theme parks and virtual reality, the immersive world is upon us.
Moderator:
Brian Burke, CEO, Smashing Ideas
Panelists:
Sid Mathur, Sr. VP, Global Head of Strategic Development & Mergers and Acquisitions, Mattel, Inc.*
Ariella Lehrer, Ph.D., CEO and President, Legacy Interactive and Legacy Games
Lynn Rogoff, Founder and CEO, AMERIKIDS USA
Jason Yim, President and Executive Creative Director, Trigger
*Mattel’s recently released Viewmaster VR headset is the first marketed at kids first. Most VR headsets, like Oculus Rift, have a 13 and older age restriction. It will be interesting to hear if the panelists address this because VR has the potential to impact education in a major way.
Gaming and the Killer AR/VR App
11:30 AM-12:30 PM
LVCC, North Hall, Room N264
VR/AR have captured the gaming industry. The buzz is all VR/AR all the time. From the totally immersive environment of VR to the holographic realism of AR gaming in front of your eyes, these are transformative experiences.
Moderator:
Jason Jerald, Co-Founder and Principal Consultant, NextGen
Panelists:
Anthony Borquez, Founder and CEO, Grab
Amir Rubin, Founder and CEO, Sixense
David Votypka, Sr. Creative Director, Red Storm, a Ubisoft Studio
Emmanuel Marquez, CTO, Starbreeze Studios
What’s Next for Augmented Reality
1 PM – 2 PM
LVCC, North Hall, Room N253
Augmented reality (AR) blends virtual content into the real world to create an immersive user experience and is being implemented by retail, business, enterprise, and auto companies. Hear from companies on AR’s leading edge as they take us behind the scenes for a look at current and future projects.
Speakers:
Neil Trevett, VP of Mobile Ecosystem, NVIDIA
Ralph Osterhout, CEO, Osterhout Design Group
Christopher Stapleton, VP and Co-Founder, Virtual World Society
Virtual Reality 1.Go
2:15 PM -3:15 PM
LVCC, North Hall, Room N261
There have been press, product demos, and big acquisitions around Virtual Reality. But after years of hype, VR has finally hit the market. Senior executives from the creative and hardware perspectives discuss the initial consumer launch window for VR, and the business’ future.
Speakers:
Ted Schilowitz, Futurist , 20th Century Fox
Samir Mallal, Director, Spoke
Matt Apfel, VP, Strategy and Creative Content, Samsung
Oren Rosenbaum, Digital Media Agent, UTA
Eric W. Shamlin, Managing Director and Executive Producer, Secret Location
Cliff Plumer, President, Jaunt Studios
Virtual Reality: Hollywood Does Cutting Edge
2:15 PM – 3:15 PM
LVCC, North Hall, Room N262
Every Hollywood Studio and TV Network are either committed or soon will be to creating Virtual Reality studios. Whether it’s making trailers for major films, producing advertising, games or creating newly imagined VR experiences for theme parks, it’s happening now.
Speaker:
Ted Schilowitz, Futurist , 20th Century Fox
Andy Cochrane, Director, Interactive and New Media & Special Projects Lead, Mirada
Peter Levin, President, Lionsgate Interactive Ventures and Games
Guy Primus, Co-Founder and CEO, The VR Company
Lucas Foster, Co-Founder, Headcase VR
